A PRELIMINARY DISCUSSION: MITIGATION OF THE CAGÜITAS ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE WITHIN THE PROPOSED AGUAS BUENAS – CAGUAS SANITARY SEWER LINE PROJECT, CAGUAS, PUERTO RICO

UNA DISCUSIÓN PRELIMINAR: MITIGACIÓN DEL SITIO ARQUEOLÓGICO DE CAGÜITAS DENTRO DEL PROYECTO DE LÍNEA DE

ALCANTARILLADO SANITARIO DE AGUAS BUENAS - CAGUAS, CAGUAS, PUERTO RICO

DISCUSSION PRELIMINAIRE: ATTENUATION DU SITE ARCHEOLOGIQUE DE CAGÜITAS DANS LE PROJET DE LIGNE

D'EGOUTS SANITAIRES D'AGUAS BUENAS - CAGUAS, CAGUAS, PORTO RICO

Michael A. Cinquino, Michele H. Hayward, Donald Smith, and Arqla. Ethel Schlafer

Michael A. Cinquino, Ph.D, RPA Panamerican Consultants, Inc., United States mcinquino@panamconsultants.com Michele H. Hayward, Ph.D, RPA Panamerican Consultants, Inc., United States mhayward@panamconsultants.com Donald Smith, Ph.D., RPA Panamerican Consultants, Inc., United States dsmith@panamconsultants.com Arqla. Ethel Schlafer, M.A. Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados de Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico ethel.schlafer@acueductospr.com

Panamerican Consultants, Inc. conducted intensive excavations at Cagüitas, a multicomponent prehistoric site in east central Puerto Rico, between January and August of 2015. The archaeological investigation was conducted for the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (Autoridad de Aqueducts y Alcantarillados de Puerto Rico) who planned to construct a trunk sewer line across the site. Although Panamerican had completed the field work by September of 2015, project fiscal concerns suspended the project in August 2016. No significant analyses were conducted and only preliminary report preparation was initiated. The laboratory work and artifact analysis will be completed, specialty analyses conducted and a report prepared when funds become available.

The Cagüitas site was an extensive prehistoric habitation locus with occupation from the Late Cedrosan Saladoid (AD 400-600), Early Ostionan/Monserrate Ostionoid (AD 600-900), Late Ostionan/Elenan Ostionoid (AD 900-1200),

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mailto:mhayward@panamconsultants.commailto:dsmith@panamconsultants.com

to the Chican Ostionoid (AD 1200-1500). The site was also the location of Hacienda San José, an early 16th-century sugar and rum-producing hacienda followed by industrial components from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Key Words: Cagüitas, Puerto Rico; Ceramic Period, habitation site, mitigation, multicomponent, burials, Hacienda San José

Panamerican Consultants, Inc. realizó excavaciones intensivas en Cagüitas, un sitio prehistórico multicomponente en el centro este de Puerto Rico, entre enero y agosto de 2015. La investigación arqueológica se llevó a cabo para la Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados de Puerto Rico (Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados de Puerto Rico ) que planeó construir una línea de alcantarillado troncal en todo el sitio. A pesar de que Panamerican había completado el trabajo de campo en septiembre de 2015, las preocupaciones fiscales del proyecto suspendieron el proyecto en agosto de 2016. No se realizaron análisis significativos y solo se inició la preparación del informe preliminar. Se completará el trabajo de laboratorio y el análisis de artefactos, se realizarán análisis especializados y se preparará un informe cuando estén disponibles los fondos.

El sitio de Cagüitas era un emplazamiento extenso de habitación prehistórica con ocupación del Saladoide Cedrosano Tardío (400-600 d. C.), Ostionoide temprano / Monserrate (600-900 d. C.), Ostiono tardío / Ostionoide Elenan (900-1200 d. C.), al Chican Ostionoid (1200-1500 d. C.). El sitio también era la ubicación de Hacienda San José, una hacienda de producción de azúcar y ron de principios del siglo XVI, seguida de componentes industriales de los siglos XIX y XX.

palabras claves: Cagüitas, Puerto Rico; período de cerámica, sitio de habitación, mitigación, multicomponentes, entierros, Hacienda San José

Panamerican Consultants, Inc. a effectué des fouilles intensives à Cagüitas, un site préhistorique à plusieurs composantes dans le centre-est de Porto Rico, entre janvier et août 2015. L'enquête archéologique a été menée pour l'Aqueduc et l'Aqueduc de Puerto Rico. ) qui prévoyait construire une conduite d'égout principale sur le site. Bien que Panamerican ait achevé le travail sur le terrain en septembre 2015, les préoccupations financières du projet ont suspendu le projet en août 2016. Aucune analyse significative n'a été effectuée et seule la préparation du rapport préliminaire a été lancée. Le travail de laboratoire et l'analyse des artefacts seront terminés, des analyses de spécialité effectuées et un rapport préparé lorsque les fonds seront disponibles.

Le site de Cagüitas était un vaste lieu d'habitation préhistorique avec occupation de la saladoïde Cedrosan tardive (AD 400-600), Ostionoïde précoce d'Ostionan / Monserrate (AD 600-900), Ostionoïde tardif Ostionan / Elenan (AD 900-1200), au Chican. Ostionoid (AD 1200-1500). Le site était aussi l'emplacement de l'Hacienda San José, unehacienda du début du XVIe siècle à base de sucre et de rhum, suivie par des composants industriels des XIXe et XXesiècles.

mots-cles: Cagüitas, Puerto Rico; période céramique, site d'habitation, atténuation, multicomposant, sépultures, Hacienda San José

Introduction

Panamerican Consultants, Inc. conducted excavations at Cagüitas, a multicomponent prehistoric site in east-central Puerto Rico, between January and August of 2015. The archaeological investigation was conducted for the Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados de Puerto Rico (Acueductos) (Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority), who planned to construct a trunk sewer line across the site. Although Panamerican had completed the field work by September of 2015, project fiscal concerns prevented moving forward on the investigation, which eventually was formally suspended by Acueductos in August 2016. At that time the laboratory was closed and all materials transferred to Acueductos for storage in a climate controlled building just outside of the capitol San Juan. In addition to finishing the field work, artifact inventory lists were prepared, field notes organized, and most artifacts were washed and flotation completed. No

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significant analyses were conducted and only preliminary report preparation was initiated. The laboratory work and artifact analysis will be completed, specialty analyses conducted and reports prepared when funds become available. This is an unfortunate situation but necessary due to the island’s financial difficulties.

The Cagüitas archaeological site is estimated to cover approximately 10 to 15 acres including portions of the Caguas Botanical Gardens located on the site of the former Hacienda San José, local Highway 156, the adjacent newly constructed Puma Gas Station, and portions of the public cemetery across Highway 156 northeast of the current investigation (Figures 1 and 2.) The proposed sewer line will be placed within an approximately 375-meters long by three meter wide trench through the Cagüitas site (Figure 2). PRSHPO determined Cagüitas is a significant and eligible for listing to the National Register of Historic Places, thus requiring mitigation or intensive excavations to address impacts to the site from construction of the trunk sewer. The mitigation project was conducted in compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act with a grant from the United States government’s Environmental Protection Agency. The archaeological project was conducted under the review of Acueductos, the Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Office (PRSHPO), the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture; the Puerto Rican Council for the Protection of Terrestrial Archaeological Resources and the Puerto Rican Environmental Quality Board who all approved the proposed level of effort. Archaeologist Ethel Schlafer supervised the field project for Acueductos assisted by Engineer John Ice.

Site Contamination

Possible site contamination form hazardous waste was an atypical factor complicating planning and excavation at the site. A previous environmental study found lead in underground water and benzene in the soil around the Puma gas station 25 to 35 feet below the surface.

As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Acueductos required that the entire 12-person crew, as well as any agency personnel regularly visiting the field, take a 40 hour U.S. government approved hazardous materials training course prior to field work. The training consisted of classroom lectures, live drills, and being fitted for respirators. However, during the process of pre-field work preparations and safety training, the question was raised regarding the anticipated depth of the archaeological excavations. This was expected to be some 4-ft. to 5-ft. or 100-cm. to 120-cm. below surface and thus well above the established upper depth of hazardous contamination. This prompted retesting (i.e., soil samples) around the gas station to 10-ft. to 15-ft. below the surface just before the fieldwork began. The results determined no contamination was present near the surface or within the archaeological work area. This allowed the crew to avoid wearing high level safety protection measures including Tyvek suits and respirators.

A safety officer tested the soils numerous times a day throughout the period of fieldwork, and no benzene or other hazardous materials were ever identified during the excavations.

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Previous Investigations at Cagüitas

Cagüitas has long been known as an extensive habitation site from the prehistoric period onward. Numerous investigations of various phases have been conducted there over the last 35 to 40 years in different parts of the site at intensities ranging from low-level surface inspections to intensive excavations. None of these investigations covered the entire site, or any significant portion of the current project area alignment.

A Phase II report was prepared in 2009 (García Goyco et al. 2009) summarizing the results of the previous reports but could not sufficiently evaluate the potential for subsurface conditions within the project area because no field component was included in the Phase II study. Therefore, a Phase II-level testing investigation was requested by the PRSHPO and conducted by Panamerican before initiation of the Phase III mitigation to determine the stratigraphy and identify artifact concentrations and potential features within the proposed construction limits.

The Phase II documentary investigation identified the following salient site characteristics (García Goyco et al. 2009):

Approximate site dimensions 200-210-m N to S / 210-220-m E to W (Figure 2) Four prehistoric habitation phases (based primarily on diagnostic ceramics):

o Late Cedrosan Saladoid, AD 400-600;o Early Ostionan/Monserrate Ostionoid, AD 600-900;o Late Ostionan/Elenan Ostionoid, AD 900-1200, ando Chican Ostionoid, AD 1200-1500

Multiple historic phaseso Early 16th-century sugar and rum-producing hacienda, followed byo Industrial components from the 19th and 20th centuries

Disturbed contexts observed in some locations from surface to depth of ca. 45-cm. Intact deposits remained below disturbed contexts in some areas Archaeological remains such as post molds and burials have been documented up to 1.5

and 2 meters below ground surface (bgs.) with intrusive natural or cultural features up to 3to 4 meters bgs.

Due to the extensive disturbance throughout the site (e.g., highway, cemetery, gas station)it’s integrity can be characterized as a patchwork of impacted and intact sections

The Archaeological Investigation

Panamerican’s investigation identified over 100 features, including middens, pits, post molds, and ceramic and lithic concentrations. In addition, certain locations with human remains were identified within the area of investigation. Occupation phases extend from the late Saladoid throughout the Late Ceramic period.

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Field Testing Strategy

The field testing strategy included: Establishment of a project wide meter grid system with datum at the Area of

Potential Effect (APE, i.e., 3 meter wide proposed trench location) in the JardinBotánico

Excavation of 41 1-m. by 1-m. individual units or in blocks to further documentfeatures such as burials and trash pits; units near the gas station were excavatedafter removal of overlying fill deposits and sod.

Removal of the topsoil from the APE using a combination of mechanical andmanual excavation (except areas of dense roots or buried electric lines behind thegas station) to document features

Monitoring during construction is planned due to the high density of featuresalready encountered and tree root impediment around the gas station. (Monitoringwill focus on areas not formally excavated or where excavations did not reachculturally sterile soils.)

Preliminary Results

Site Integrity

Site integrity in this portion of Cagüitas is high. Under a relatively thin top layer of modern disturbance including road construction and landscaping, the underlying cultural horizons were intact containing large amounts including materials from ceramics to lithics. The part of the site in the APE also had a number of features such as hearths, a large, rich midden, and post molds.

The midden was located underneath the gravel access road at the north end of the project alignment. Although it has been impacted by past construction activities a significant intact portion remains (Figure 3) which:

Measured 5 meters wide; begins around 50-cm. below the surface up to 1½ meters deepand is bowl shaped. It is unclear if any of the previous impacts are from natural erosion asthe midden is adjacent to a current bend in the Cagüitas River

Extends across the proposed sewer line and continues on either side: east towards the riverbank and west towards the Botanical Gardens border with Highway 156

Includes densely packed ceramics, large ceramic sherds from griddles and vessels withlithics with much lesser amounts of faunal materials; and charcoal;

Possible hearth or burnt area,

Post molds and pits

A series of post molds and pits were uncovered within the APE in the Botanical Gardensand south of the Puma gas station

Post molds are roughly circular, usually 20 to 30 cm. in diameter and occurring singularlyalthough there is one example of double post molds; the molds have straight-tending sideswith flat or slightly rounded bottoms (Figure 4)

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The site’s pits preliminarily are defined as large (up to a meter in depth) features exhibitingirregular plans with distinct dark soils and artifact contents including ceramics and faunalremains (Figure 5)

The majority of the faunal remains have come from pit features while very little materialis from soils outside the pits, a trend that will be explored with future work.

Ceramics

The majority of the materials consisted of ceramics, with few if any complete vessels recovered, although several partially intact examples were documented, as in an in-situ buren or griddle (Figure 6), found near the surface in the Botanical Gardens section of the APE.

Our preliminary impression from the ceramic assemblage confirms the prior assessment of occupation from the later Early Ceramic to the Late Ceramic period (Figures 6, 7, and 8). It is also our impression that loci of occupation at the site may have changed through time, with a heavier early Ostionoid occupation around the gas station than northward in the Botanical Gardens area.

Historic Features

While the preponderance of the features and materials from the investigation are prehistoric, a minor amount of historic ceramics and glass were recovered, as well as features. We are interpreting a shallow row of large cobbles at the boundary between the Botanical Gardens property and Los Prados property access road as part of the bed for the historic period Hacienda’s road or railroad.

Rock Art

Previous site reports suggest that a batey or plaza/ball court was present at Cagüitas; therewas no evidence of a stone alignment or rock art identified during our excavations

Rock art is present near to the site and given the lack of a systematic examination ofCagüitas site boundaries, the rock art may be more closely associated than currentlyunderstood

The nearby rock art is within the Botanical Garden’s public access area with petroglyphscarved on a large boulder and rock face along a small stream

Human-like facial images predominate Other petroglyphs have been located by Botanical Garden personnel at two nearby

locations, along an intermittent stream; and several locations have been documented atadditional points within the Cagüitas River system

The relationship of the site to rock art bears further survey and documentation

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the staff of Aqueducts (Autoridad de Aqueducts y Alcantarillados de Puerto Rico) especially Archaeologist Ethel Schlafer and Engineer John Ice, Adamaris Quiñones, P.E., José J. Rivera Sanabria, P.E. for all there help and a very professional and friendly workingrelationship; Eng. Lizandra Concepción Marrero, Eng. Daniel Carmona Alemán, Arlqa. Anabel

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Arana Lanza at the Environmental Quality Board; Sharyl Borges Torres, Safety Officer, and Janice Marie Adorno López at Caribbean Project Management Group PR; José Baez, GIT and Exel F. Colón Rivera, PE at ECR Engineering; Francisco González, CPA, and Carlos Rentas, P.E. at Black & Veatch Corporation - BV PR; Sr. Wilfredo Carrasquillo at the Puma Gas Station, Don Luis Beauchamp, Director; Dr. Osvaldo García-Goyco, Carmen Vicente Cruz and Sr. Jimmy at Jardin Botánica; and Hugh Tosteson, Dr. Ángel Rodríguez; Arq. Aramis Font; and Dra. Lourdes Domínguez who assisted throughout portions of the project. We also wish to thank at the PRSHPO Arqla. Diana Lopez Sotomayor, Puerto Rico State Historic Preservation Officer, Mr. Miguel “Mickey” Bonini, State Archaeologist and PRSPHO reviewer, and Ms. Lillian Lara M Fonseca; and Arqla. Laura Del Olmo Frese, Directora, and Dr. Carlos Pérez Merced of the Programa de Arqueología y Etnohistoria Instituto de Cultura Puertorriqueña (Institute of Puerto Rican Culture) for their assistance during review process and fieldwork.

And we especially want to sincerely thank our very dedicated hard-working field and laboratory crews who did an excellent job and were consummate professionals throughout the project (see Figure 9) and very good friends. Panamerican’s Cagüitas Field Crew: Principal Investigator Michele H. Hayward, Field Archaeologists Heber (Tito) David Cortés Santiago, Eduardo Frías Etayo, Yuri Valdés Álvarez, Mariela Declet Perez, Ángel Vega de Jesús, Omar G. Vargas Alicea, Enrique Rodríguez, Adalberto (Bertín) Alvarado Soto, Field Director Don Smith, Excavator Operator Roberto Nater Pizarro, Safety Officer Sharyl Borges Torres, and Physical Anthropologist Carla de la Rosa Villalón. Laboratory crew included Laboratory Director Jaqueline López Meléndez, Laboratory Assistants Vanessa Rivera Martínez, and Claribel Correa Felix. A special thanks to Historian Hugh Tosteson whose help was invaluable throughout all phases of the project. Michael A. Cinquino served as Project Director.

References

García Goyco, Osvaldo, Federico Freytes Rodríguez, and Maritza Torres-Martínez

2009 Evaluación Arqueológica Fase II; Proyecto: Troncal Sanitaria Aguas Buenas- Caguas, Caguas, Puerto Rico. Submitted to CSA Group Inc., Puerto Rico. Prepared by: Paso del Indio, Inc

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Figures

Figure 1. Project Area on USGS 1943 Topographic Map (Caguas USGS Topographic Map, 1943; 1:30,000).

Figure 2. Select previous studies at the site and estimated site boundaries (adapted from Garcia Goyco et al., 2009).

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Figure 3. High Quality Midden West Profile (Courtesy Michael A. Cinquino, 2015).

Figure 4. Post mold sequence (Courtesy Michael A. Cinquino, 2015).

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Figure 5. Large pit, plan view; note irregular shape and dark soils (Courtesy Michael A. Cinquino 2015)

Figure 6. In-situ buren fragments, Botanical Gardens Section

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Figure 7. Small ceramic sculpture with anthropomorphic or monkey-like face (Courtesy Michael A. Cinquino 2015)

Figure 8 Decorated body sherd with external knob, punctates, and incision (Courtesy Michael A. Cinquino 2015 field photo)

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Figure 9. Panamerican’s Cagüitas Field Crew (left to right) Principal Investigator Michele H. Hayward, Eduardo Frías Etayo, Yuri Valdés Álvarez, Enrique Rodríguez, Omar G. Vargas Alicea, Adalberto (Bertín) Alvarado Soto (kneeling), Heber (Tito) David Cortés Santiago (kneeling), Field Director Don Smith, backhoe operator Roberto

Nater Pizarro, Mariela Declet Perez, Ángel Vega de Jesús, Safety Officer Sharyl Borges Torres, and Physical Anthropologist Carla de la Rosa Villalón (Courtesy Michael A. Cinquino 2015). Laboratory crew not present included Laboratory Director Jaqueline López Meléndez, Laboratory Assistants Vanessa Rivera Martínez and

Claribel Correa Felix; and Hugh Tosteson who assisted throughout the project.

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